Roses, Exboyfriends, and Enemies
by dobby'socks7
Summary: After Voldemort's defeat in 4th year, life in Hogwarts goes back to normal. Starts in the trio's 6th year. Rating may change. Technically AU. Hermione/Draco
1. Chapter 1

**As much as we would like to, neither of us own Harry Potter**

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger woke with a start to find herself on the Hogwarts Express. Next to her, Harry and Ron were playing a game of chess, and Ginny was sitting next to Harry, petting Crookshanks. Hermione smiled. It had taken so much work to get those two together, but it was so worth it when you saw them together…..Hermione's mind suddenly came back to what she had been thinking about before she started thinking about her friend's love lives. It had been the dream. She had been having that same dream all summer. At first she blamed it on the atmosphere in Grimmauld Place (though it was much better than it had originally been, it was still creepy in some places) or nerves about exam results. But much to her surprise and unhappiness, this particular dream continued to visit her every night. It was always the same. She was wandering around what she guessed was the Hogwarts' grounds, searching by her favorite weeping willow for _something_. In the dream, Hermione continued to search and when she finally found her favorite tree and ducked under the branches, feeling that sort of desperateness that comes when you've been looking frantically for something and you're on your last hope of finding it, only find a small white envelope on the ground at the bass of the trunk and to feel a sadness and fear so strong that it shook her to the core. Hermione would sob and call out to someone, but they never came. Left alone, she sank to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably and clutching the little white envelope to her chest. More often than not, Hermione had wakened from these dreams to find that her eyes were wet from crying and that her hands were shaking. No matter what, this disturbing dream continued to chase her always ending with her sprawled on the ground sobbing and holding that little white envelope like it was a life vest and she was lost at sea.

Looking up, Hermione saw that everyone in the compartment was staring at her. "You alright Hermione," Ron asked nervously (Ron had never been good with ill or injured people, _especially _when it involved vomit or blood); "you look rather pale…"

"I'm fine Ron!" Hermione lied quickly. No one bought it.

"Stop it Hermione!" Ginny said in a concerned voice. "We heard you muttering in your sleep and you look like you're about to cry."

"I'm _fine_!" Hermione repeated firmly, looking from one concerned face to another. "It was just a dream…" 'Yeah, a dream that I've been having for the past 2 months non-stop!' she thought sarcastically to herself bitterly.

"Well, if you're sure…" Harry said in a slow, concerned voice staring at Hermione worriedly, cocking his head to the side in a way that Ginny loved.

"Completely sure, absolutely positive! I suppose we'll be there soon, do you think they'll have cheesecake?" Hermione said in a chipper voice, but even in her own ears, the words sounded forced and cheesy.

They finally arrived at Hogwarts and made it through the pouring rain to where the carriages would pick them up. After Ginny departed from the group to find other 5th years, Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited in the rain. Suddenly, a rampaging carriage came flying down the path headed straight for Hermione! Thought she commanded herself to move, she couldn't, she was rooted to the spot in fear! And just before the carriage closed the gap between itself and its victim, Hermione was pushed to the side. She landed in the mud with someone lying on top of her. This "someone" was cursing quite loudly, and finally looked down at her with concern in his grey eyes.

"Granger! Granger, can you hear me? Granger come on get up! _Hermione_!"

Hermione looked up when she heard the anguished break in her rescuer's voice. Startled, she looked up to see the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy staring down at her with a look of fear and concern that Hermione wouldn't have thought possible for the Slytherin Ice Prince. Seeing her blinking up at him, Malfoy smiled in relief.

"You almost gave me a heart attack," he whispered to her gently, "when I saw that carriage hurtling towards you…Why didn't you move?!" He asked in a voice that was almost angry.

Shocked, Hermione looked at him and said "I couldn't move my feet…" She looked down, hating how vulnerable she felt.

"Well you best be more careful from now on!" Draco scolded in a playful tone that caught Hermione off guard again. "Wouldn't want to lose you now would I?" he continued, tucking a muddy strand of hair behind her ears.

"Hermione!" suddenly, Harry and Ron were next to her and were all talking at once. "Are you hurt? What happened? Why didn't you move out off the way?!" It was only then that Hermione realized all of the people around her look at her with concern and shouting all at once. For some reason, however, all Hermione could do was look at those abnormally concerned eyes that wouldn't leave her wide brown ones. Finally Ron asked in an irritable voice, "Will you get off her now Malfoy? Hermione can't get up with you lying on top of her like that!"

Unwillingly, Draco slid his eyes from Hermione to Ron and said, "Of course Weasley. I didn't realize that even after breaking up, you were still so protective of her." He got up off Hermione and pulled her to her feet. Ron quickly took Hermione before Draco could do anything else.

"Come on Hermione, let's get up to the castle, you're soaked."

"Ron, I'm fine, really. You don't have to-" but it was no use arguing so Hermione let herself be dragged along by Ron as Harry flagged down a carriage for them. Looking over her shoulder, Hermione saw with a pang of sadness almost like the one in her dream as she saw that Malfoy had melted in with the rest of the students milling around the platform and was out of sight.

After insisting that she needed to shower and change before dinner, Hermione walked up to the common room while Ron and Harry went to tell Professor McGonagall where she had gone. Ron had been particularly difficult to shake off, but finally Harry had managed to get him off of her with a grateful look form Hermione. She liked Ron just fine but he still seemed to fancy her even after she had let him down in July. As she walked over to her bed (feeling happy for once that the House Elves had done some work and brought up her trunk already, though Professor McGonagall had probably asked them to do it for her) Hermione was surprised to find a black rose sitting on her pillow with a note tied to it. After being sure not to stab herself with the thorns on the flower, she read the writing on the note.

_ I will be gone for the weekend visiting family. I'll be back on the first day of term. Please be safe while I'm gone._

Hermione stared at the rose for a few moments, and then put it in a vase beside her bed. As she got into the steaming water of the shower, Hermione contemplated the strange note's meaning and realized that the sadness that she had been feeling was gone, and that it had nothing to do with the hot shower. -----

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**A/N: Read and Review please!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**As much as we would like to, neither of us own Harry Potter**

Chapter 2

While in the shower, Hermione began to ponder who sent her the rose, although she already had a pretty good idea. 'Malfoy,' she thought to herself. 'But when did he have the time to get me a rose between the saving me and now?' she wondered. 'Though, I suppose if he is going to see family, he probably wouldn't have taken a carriage…'

Hermione let her mind wander back to her previous school years, going over each detail in her mind 'in remembrance' she told herself, but really she just didn't want to admit that it was also to discover if Malfoy had left before the start of term before. She couldn't recall, but then again she was pretty intent on ignoring him, and had done a pretty good job.

After Hermione had gone out with Krum in 4th year, and Harry was taken to that horrid graveyard and defeated Voldemort, Ron had been quick to ask her out in the beginning of their 5th year. Seeing as 5th years took O.W.L.S, she and Ron didn't do much dating other than for studying. Once exams were over, and they went on real dates, she discovered that it was just awkward and she didn't like Ron that way, much like it was with Krum. Harry and Hermione were both relieved by that discovery – no longer did Harry feel left out. Hermione broke up with Ron as quickly and painless as possible, but it seems that he either didn't get the memo, or didn't care if she was in the relationship or not – he would go out with her either way. Hermione gritted her teeth and went along with it, and distracted herself as much as possible along the way, which is how she finally got Harry and Ginny together. It was quite a challenge, and Hermione prided herself on being the sole person who succeeded. She got her two best friends together, and redeemed herself in the eyes of Molly Weasley, who was not happy when Hermione broke up with Ron. His brothers were glad when she broke up with him – they all knew it wouldn't last.

Feeling the water pound on her face brought her back to reality. Sighing, she turned off the shower, performed a quick drying spell on herself, and dressed. She was extremely grateful that her hair had started to cooperate over the summer; now, instead of being bushy and unmanageable, it curled in ringlets that were a bit below her shoulders. Realizing she was running late, she hurried down to the feast.

* * * * *

"Ugh, I'm so hungry I would eat a hippogriff," Ron complained.

"Now Ron, sorting is an important part of the first day here. Much more important than the feast," Hermione scolded Ron.

"She's right, you know," Nearly Headless Nick started from where he sat a few chairs away from them.

"Oh, sod off," Ron muttered.

"…and now, I bid you all, tuck in!" Dumbledore exclaimed happily and sat down as the plates magically appeared full of food.

"Fignalnay," Ron groaned, him mouth already stuffed full of food.

"Ronald! That is absolutely disgusting!" Hermione exclaimed while Harry looked away and Ginny made a face of disgust. Anxious to look anywhere else, Hermione let her eyes wander around the Great Hall. 'Hmm…,' she thought to herself, 'I wonder…' and she decided to try her theory out. She glanced over at the Slytherin table, and felt a rush of excitement and disappointment when she saw Malfoy sitting there, eating like a civilized human being unlike Ron, who seemed to be stuffing his mouth full of potatoes and counting how many he could get in before he had to swallow and start again. Malfoy, feeling someone's eyes on him, looked up into the brown eyes of Hermione. He seemed pleasantly surprised to find her staring at him, and gave her a small smile before going back to eating. Hermione quickly looked away and let the rest of dinner finish quickly.

"Hermione, are you coming?" Harry asked, jolting her back to reality.

" No, I'll be right there, I need to talk to McGonagall about something."

"Alright, see you in the common room," said Harry, who proceeded to drag Ron out with him, sensing that Hermione wasn't ready to deal with him. He was right.

Hermione had actually lied to them – something she did very infrequently. She, for once, didn't want to talk to McGonagall about anything. So she hung back and waited until most of the people cleared the great hall before getting up and slowly walking towards the exit, apparently lost in thought. When she reached the doors of the Great Hall, a voice spoke to her.

"Granger. Granger! _Hermione_!"

Hermione jumped and spun around, startled, knocking into the person speaking to her and almost falling over. Malfoy recovered immediately and caught her before she could do anything more than stumble off balance.

"Granger, when I told you to be more careful, I wasn't kidding," Malfoy said, his hand still gripping her arm. His words caused her to look up at him in, the surprise showing in her brown eyes when she saw the concern and warmth in his grey ones. He smiled at her, and let go of her arm to push a stray curl behind her ear.

"Promise me you'll stay safe this weekend," Malfoy said softly, locking his gaze into her eyes.

Something clicked into place and Hermione said with a smile, "Don't worry, I only seem to be accident prone when you're around."

Draco laughed, took a step closer to her and said, "It's good to know I'll always be around when you need saving." He was now so close to her that she could feel his breath on her forehead. He bent down, whispered "See you on Monday, Hermione," put something into her hands, and left. She stood and watched him leave, stunned.

Hermione glanced down and realized she was holding a black rose, identical to the one she found on her pillow earlier. 'So I was right,' she thought with a smile. Hermione's thoughts then drifted to a certain Slytherin with blonde hair and grey eyes, and Hermione became completely lost in thought as she made her way out of the Great Hall and up to the Gryffindor common room. She was so lost in thought as she walked out of the hall that she didn't notice Dumbledore chuckling to himself - he so loved displays of inter-house unity.

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**A/N: Read and Review please!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**As much as we would like to, neither of us own Harry Potter**

Chapter 3

Hermione was distracted all weekend. Instead of thinking about the upcoming homework assignments and new spells she would need to learn, Hermione day-dreamed about a certain someone with blonde hair and grey eyes whose aftershave was the best smelling thing in the world.

"Hermione…..Hermione…you there?" Harry's voice broke through her reveries at dinner on Sunday.

"Wha-what?" she said, completely confused at this abrupt crash back to reality.

"You were looking around the Great Hall," said Ron in a disgruntled voice. Apparently still upset at the fact that she had told him that she _really_ just wanted to be friends this year and that he should start looking at other girls who might want to date him.

"Hmm?" said Hermione, her eyes straying back to the Slytherin table for the millionth time that weekend. "There's plenty of time to ask Lavender out, you shouldn't spring it on her now." She looked up to find both boys staring at her in utter amazement.

"You sure you're okay?" Harry asked looking sweetly concerned for his friend. Of course that's one of the reasons Ginny loved Harry so much. Besides his great personality, he was a really nice, down-to-earth guy…kind of like Draco….. 'NO WAIT STOP, STOP, STOP!!!' Hermione screamed to herself silently. 'You will not think of Draco you promised yourself and as soon as dinner is over you are going to march upstairs and dump those stupid flowers in the waste bin!' Of course, Hermione knew that this would never happen. She had spent practically all weekend staring at those flowers, reading _his _note, and reliving their conversation on Friday.

"Password?" a loud trilling voice broke through Hermione's thoughts. Somehow they were already back at the portrait hole. "Umm....Hippogriff." Hermione said realizing that everyone was waiting for her to give the password (she was the best at remembering these things in the beginning of the year when everyone was getting back into the habit of needing a password to get into their bedroom). Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed through the portrait hole and sat in their favorite chairs by the fire. Ron looked up distractedly and excused himself to "do some important stuff," and took Lavender Brown out of the Common Room and into the hallway beyond the portrait hole. Hermione shared a smile with Harry. Hopefully Ron could find someone who he liked and actually _returned his feelings_.

"Hermione!" Hermione looked around to see her best non –boy friend standing next to her looking intently at brunette friend. "Come on, we need to talk!" she said giving the stairs to the Girl's Dormitory a meaningful glance. "_Okay_…" Hermione said standing up and swinging her bag over her shoulder. "See you later Harry!" She and Ginny made their way up the stairs and plopped down on Hermione's bed after Ginny and Harry shared a kiss good-night (thankfully Ginny seemed to be in too much of a hurry to prolong the moment. Hermione was really happy that Ginny and Harry were together, but some things she could live without witnessing).

"So, Gin, what's up?" Hermione said when both girls were comfortably seated on her bed.

"Oh I think it's pretty clear '_what's up'_" Ginny said with a devious grin, pointing to the two black roses sitting in a vase on Hermione's night table. "Come on Hermione, I'm not an idiot. I can see that your eyes _always_ go back to the Slytherin table and that those black roses weren't there before we got to school, AND that you're not muttering in your sleep anymore. So come on and spill already. My dolt of a brother and my boyfriend can see that something's distracting you, but only _I_ know that it's a boy, so out with it already!!!" Ginny looked like she was about to explode, but Hermione hesitated, unsure of whether or not to tell the whole truth. "I've been completely open and honest with you from the beginning," Ginny said in a quiet voice staring Hermione down. "Don't you trust me like I trust you…you're like a _sister_ to me Hermione!"

Hermione nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Well, for the last few months, I've been having this really weird-no scary- dream…" And that was it. Hermione let everything out from the dreams, to her last encounter with Draco, what he smelled like, and how she had stopped thinking and calling him _Malfoy_. Finally, she had spilled everything and was feeling so confused and mixed-up that she began sobbing right there on the bed.

"Oh Hermione," Ginny said in an astonished voice moving beside her friend on the bed. "Shhhh, shhhhhh it's alright, it's alright, it's going to be okay…" and for the first time since she had walked away from Draco Malfoy on Friday evening, everything _was_ okay. Shuddering and sobbing, Hermione cried until only deep shuddering breaths escaped her and the entire time, Ginny cradled her and rubbed her back whispering to her soothingly. Finally when she had calmed down enough Ginny said "So, uh, are you going to go out with Malfoy?

"_Draco_," Hermione said pointedly, "and I don't know Gin. What if, I mean, what if-"

"Hermione, do you like this guy?" Ginny said staring Hermione into blurting out the truth again.

"Yes," Hermione nodded.

"Then you should go after him! You have every right to be happy with the guy that's loves you as I do!" Ginny said, shaking Hermione's shoulders slightly.

"But what if I do something wrong or he doesn't really like me like I like him-"

"Then he isn't worth your time," Ginny said firmly, "but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take a chance. Hiding in the shadows might save you from the pain but I also robs you of opportunity. Plus," she said thoughtfully looking at the ceiling, "if he does turn out to be a jerk, I can hex him into oblivion and," she said with a kinder, more serious look on her face, I'll always be there for you Hermione, you can come talk to me about anything! Boy problems, dreams, my brother…"

"Thanks Gin," said Hermione gratefully, hugging her friend, "I knew I could count on you."

"Well now," said Ginny all business-like again, "you should get some rest. You want to be well-rested for _Draco's_ (she put emphasis on the name) return!" And with that, Ginny pranced out of the room, dodging a thrown pillow from Hermione as she went.

The next day, Hermione was up before the sun. First she took a shower and then got dressed. Afterwards, she fixed her hair half-a-dozen times before using a bit of _Madame Sylvia's Sleekening Solution_ to make her hair smooth and glossy. Finally she put on some of her favorite perfume (raspberry) and a bit of lip gloss. After studying herself in the mirror, she grabbed her bag and headed to the common room to meet Harry and Ron, ignoring the other girl's whispers as she passed.

"Hey Hermione," said Harry when she met him in the Common Room, "ready to go?"

"Yep!" said Hermione. The constant butterflies that had been inhabiting her stomach since this morning gave another lurch. "Where's Ron?"

"He and Lavender went down to breakfast about ten minutes ago." Harry said in a surprisingly nonchalant voice. Hermione guessed that he was glad that he still had her to keep him company and was a bit more understanding now that he had his own girlfriend.

"Oh, wow…That's great!" Hermione said in relief. Now Ron and she could just be friends like she and Harry were. Now everything would be back to normal between he two of them.

"I thought you'd think so," said Harry, "Come on, then, we don't want to be late for classes!" Harry threw in the last bit with a serious look at Hermione, who punched him playfully on the arm before walking down to the Great Hall with him. With her eyes constantly sweeping the hall, Hermione ate breakfast with Harry and headed off to their first lesson: Herbology. Hermione went through the whole day without seeing Draco Malfoy. She was beginning to feel that the whole primping session she went through this morning was a waste; until she checked her bag right after Charms on her way to lunch. Nestled in between her books and parchment was another black rose, identical to the other two sitting on her night table. 'How in the world-' Hermione thought staring at the rose in disbelief. 'My bag has been with me all morning!' Combing carefully through her bag, Hermione realized that _this_ rose had not come with another note. 'That means he's back!' she thought, the butterflies springing up again in her abdomen.

"Everything alright?" Harry asked as they sat down to lunch. "You looked like you were looking for something a minute ago."

"Oh, no I was just checking to make sure I didn't drop anything while we were practicing invisibility charm." Hermione lied quickly; happy to hear that the excitement was out of her voice. Looking past Ron and Lavender laughing a few feet away (Ron hadn't done anything with them all morning but Hermione and Harry and agreed to be patient with him) to the Slytherin table at the other side of the hall. _There_!!! Hermione spotted _him_ dipping a roll in his soup and laughing at something Pansy Parkinson had said and putting his arm casually around her shoulders. She simpered and snuggled closer to him, looking up at him in a suggestive way. Jealously flared painfully inside Hermione and she spun around just as Draco's eyes met hers and she registered the surprise on his face from seeing the obvious jealously and hurt in hers. "I'll see you later." Hermione mumbled to a surprised and confused Harry and jumped up, leaving her unfinished soup and heading down towards the dungeons for double potions next lesson.

Two hours later, Hermione packed up, muttered a hurried good-bye to Harry and rushed out of the dungeons before a certain somebody could try to talk to her. Draco had been trying to catch her eye all lesson but she had pointedly ignored him. She braced herself, knowing that this meal would be as painful as the last, with Pansy simpering and claiming _his _attention every chance she got. Hermione didn't realized how wrong she was. All through the meal she could feel Draco's eyes boring holes into the back of her head, just like in potions. It was unbelievably hard not to look over her shoulder at the Slytherin table, but Hermione stopped herself by thinking that it was ridiculous to let someone like _Draco Malfoy_ make her so unhappy and distracted. Instead she made small-talk with a rejected-feeling Parvati and jumped up as soon as she had swallowed the last bit of warm apple pie and vanilla ice-cream. Wanting to be alone for awhile, Hermione took some shortcuts and sat down in the middle of a dim passage to collect her thoughts. A few minutes later, she heard footsteps and felt someone sit down beside her. Looking up, she saw Draco Malfoy sitting beside her, with complete concern, mixed with something she couldn't recognize in his grey eyes.

"You've been avoiding me." Draco said in a calm voice staring steadily at a shocked Hermione.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Hermione said, pleased that she had managed to gain her composure and could put out a sarcastic remark while her heart still felt like it had been attacked by a blast-ended skrewt.

"Stop lying," Draco said sounding slightly angry now. "You think I can't tell when someone's doing everything they can to ignore me?"

"I have _no_ idea what you're talking about, but I really must be going. Enjoy your evening _Malfoy_." Hermione spit, and jumping up, she began to make her way down the passage.

"Hermione, please! Please wait!" Draco called after her in a desperate voice that made Hermione's already sore heart throb painfully. "_Please!_" Draco called out one more time, and his voice broke. Hermione stopped in her tracks and turned around. Draco ran up to her and said, placing his thumb on her cheek and rubbing it softly "What's wrong? Please tell me Hermione."

"Y-you don't have to pretend anymore!" Hermione said. Tears were beginning leak from her eyes and she refused to look up a Draco. "I can take it. You don't have to hide it from me!"

"Hide what?"

"That you like Pansy better than me. It's okay. You don't have to pretend to care for my sake. You can just go!' And then, to her horror, she started sobbing and warm, strong arms were around her and soft lips were at her ear whispering comforting words until she calmed down.

"Silly Hermione. You think that that little pug could mean more to me then you do?"

"What are you-" Hermione began in confusion. Surely he didn't mean…

"I was only being friendly to her because my _father_ (he said the word with disdain) thinks that she is from "a good family with pure blood." he quoted with disgust, unconsciously pulling her closer to him while speaking. They were now so close that there was no space in-between them, not that Hermione minded in the slightest. "The idiots, as if it matters what kind of blood you have. You're a million times more important to me than that little suck-up ever will be. All she wants to do is get close to the Malfoy family because of our unfortunate wealth." He sighed unhappily. "I can't believe that you put yourself through so much because you thought that _Pansy Parkinson_ meant more to me than you!" He laughed quietly as his lips and warm breath played with her hair.

"Well the way you two were acting it was almost as if-"she broke off unable to finish the horrible sentence she was thinking and realizing that she _should_ be irritated that Draco was laughing at her. A task which seemed to be quite impossible with his arms around her and his lips so close to hers…

Draco laughed again, sending delighted shivers up Hermione's spine. "Hermione, Hermione," he said quietly while rubbing his nose against her ear, "for such a smart witch, you are very good at jumping to the wrong conclusion!"

And before she could retaliate or move at all, Draco pulled back, tilted her chin up, and gently pressed his lips to hers. And for once in her life, nothing else mattered to Hermione Granger.

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**A/N: Read and Review!!!**

**Chapter 4 is coming soon!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hermione all but ran back to Gryffindor tower in her overwhelming need to talk to Ginny. Upon entering the common room she hardly noticed Ron and Lavender snogging on the couch. Instead, she bounded over to Ginny, who was sitting on Harry's lap in front of the fireplace reading a book with him. Without saying a word she grabbed Ginny's arm and proceeded to drag her up to the girl's dormitories. Upon seeing Hermione's expression, Ginny did not protest. They reached Hermione's dorm and locked themselves inside after making sure the room was empty. Ginny sat down on Hermione's bed, cross-legged, and waited for the other witch to speak. This, however, did not seem like it would be happening any time soon. Hermione was pacing the room alternating between wringing her hands and making large hand gestures. After about 5 minutes of Ginny watching her amusedly, Hermione let out a squeal quite un-characteristic of her and threw herself at Ginny hugging her.

If Ginny had seemed amused before, that was nothing to how she was feeling at the moment. Hermione pulled away from her amused friend with a huge smile on her face. Ginny hadn't seen Hermione this happy since, well… actually she had never seen her this happy. "Hermione, what's going on?" she asked, unable to contain herself anymore.

"Draco kissed me!" Hermione whispered excitedly. Although she was beside herself with happiness, she couldn't shake the feeling someone could hear them.

"What? Seriously?"

Hermione nodded with a smile on her face, which only grew as Ginny ran to her and hugged her with as much excitement as Hermione had hugged her with, if not more. Still joined in the hug and unable to hold back their excitement any longer, they jumped up and down, screaming. After they both had calmed down, Ginny demanded that Hermione tell her everything, which Hermione proceeded to do from the Pansy Parkinson incident ("That whore!" Ginny exclaimed) to the kiss. Eventually, they talked themselves out and retired to bed. Both girls went to sleep with smiles on their faces, unaware of the fact that someone had indeed been listening to them.

The next day, Hermione woke up at 5:30 instead of 6. At first she had NO idea why she was so happy and what had compelled her to get up a half-hour before she was supposed to. Suddenly the memory from yesterday came crashing down on her and she ran to the shower to relive yesterday's events in peace. As the hot water ran down her back, Hermione lavished in the memory of Draco's mouth on hers; hard, yet soft, how his breath had tickled her ear, and how his delicious scent had overwhelmed her; sweet and spicy all at the same time….

After getting out of the shower and drying off, Hermione took special care as she got dressed; loosening her tie (in what she hoped would be a cute fashion) and shortening her skirt _ever_ so slightly. She then applied the same perfume she had worn yesterday and fixed her hair so that it fell in thick waves, framing her face. After applying some make-up (not too much though, she would _not_ sink to Pansy's level) she skipped happily past a bleary-eyed Ginny and down the dormitory stairs. Hermione almost ran into Harry on her way down and after a few minutes, Ron and Ginny joined them and the four friends walked through the portrait hole and down to the Great Hall for breakfast. As they walked into the Great Hall, Draco brushed Hermione's hand with his. She looked up and saw that he was giving her a special smile. Restraining from throwing herself on top of him that instant, Hermione returned his smile; noting how his grey eyes seemed to light up as they took in her expression.

As the four Gryffindors and one Slytherin walked to their respected tables, Ron huffed loudly and sat down across from Hermione, glaring at the sausage in front of him.

"Jeez Ron, what did that sausage ever do to you, kiss Lavender?" Harry asked jokingly as he pulled a plate of chocolate-chip pancakes towards himself. Ron didn't seem to take this remark too well and turned to look at Hermione.

"So," he said in a deadly calm voice that scared Hermione. Usually Ron wore his feelings on his sleeve. He got over-excited about the littlest things and freaked out for no reason at all. So this new "strong and silent" attitude bothered Hermione quite a bit. "you won't even go out with me, but you have no problem at all kissing random blokes who you barely know in some _deserted corridor_?"

Hermione felt like she had been slapped in the face. She shot a quick glance at Ginny whose eyes were as wide as dinner plates. It was obvious that she hadn't told anyone about Draco, let alone Ron. "Ron I-" Hermione started, trying to seem calm and reasonable when _really_ she imagining strangling the red-haired boy across from her.

"No, no I get it!" Ron said, cutting Hermione off looking like he was getting back into his "overreaction" mode. "Why tell Ron anything, it's not as if he has _feelings_ or anything. It's not like he's been waiting for you to say something about our relationship that's just come to a _stand-still_. No it's _totally_ dandy to just go _snogging _random boys while your _BOYFRIEND_ waits around for you!!!" Ron's voice was now close to yelling point and more that a few people had stopped talking and were staring open-mouthed at the display with utmost curiosity.

Hermione didn't notice. She was quivering with fear and the effort to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill if she stopped concentrating for one moment. Ron was still ranting, his voice growing louder and louder by the second. "-didn't even have the _decency_ to tell me. Hell, you think a lot of yourself don't you?" He spat at Hermione, his eyes shooting flames as both Harry and Ginny attempted to stop his mad tirade. "Hermione Granger, you _disgust_ me! You are nothing more than a dirty rotten _WHORE_ and I hope you rot in _Hell_!!!" Ron stopped his mini speech/ tirade and looked down at the quivering girl he'd just humiliated in front of the _entire_ school.

"You're wrong Ron," Hermione whispered in a quavering voice that nonetheless carried throughout the silent hall. "I told you two months ago that we wouldn't work. I _told_ you that I didn't love you that way and that I just wanted to be _friends_!" Tears were now streaming down Hermione's face but she gallantly continued. "You're the one who was too thick-headed to get what _GOOD-BYE_ meant, even with Harry and Ginny to help thrust it under your abnormally large nose! And hear you are accusing me of cheating on a slime-ball like _you_ when you had no problem at all DEVOURING LAVENDER BROWN'S _TOUNGE_ LAST NIGHT!!!!" Hermione was now shaking and tears were now pouring down her cheeks. Without even thinking twice about what she was doing, she pulled back her arm and punched Ron full in the face, sending him flying backwards across the floor. Without even bothering to look back at the still, red-haired form lying spread-eagled on the floor, Hermione sprinted from the Great Hall and outside onto the grounds and into the pouring rain. She didn't care though. All she cared about was getting as far away from Ron as possible. Rain mixed with tears as Hermione continued to run, not even sure where she was going, just wanting to _run_. Finally, she collapsed beneath the shelter of a weeping willow that she had never known existed. Hermione fell on the tree and pressed herself to it like it was a life-line and she was a drowning passenger on the _Titanic_. Sliding down to the base of the willow, Hermione curled up into a shaking ball of misery and wept freely.

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**A/N: Sorry it took so long to upload!!! It took longer than usual to finish - there was one part we both were having issues writing. And once we did finish it (at like 11:30 pm) we couldnt log in! But those of you with accounts know that...**

**Chapter 5 is finished for the most part - there is just some minor editing left to do, and that'll be posted soon!**

**Read and Review!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Draco Malfoy had never wanted to kill anyone before. Sure, he had fantasized about feeding his father to a crateful of starving blast-ended skrewts, or feeding Potter to the Giant Squid, but he had never had any_ real_ intentions on hurting either of them beyond repair. _Now_ however, he was pretty sure that he could merrily rip Weasley to shreds and feed the pieces to a deranged Hippogriff and never have a second thought about it. It was a miracle that he had been able to control himself for that long considering his temper and the fact that the little weasel had been so cruel to his Hermione…aw _damn_…his HERMIONE!!!! He had to go find her, comfort her, tell her that everything would be okay and explain his cheery plans to defenestrate Weasley and sell him to be in a dragon show where he could very likely be burned to a crisp while wearing a pink, frilly tutu. Running out of the Great Hall, Draco saw that Weasley was out cold and that even Potter and his sister were unwilling to take him up to the Hospital Wing for treatment. So even _they_ were furious at their friend's behavior! _But then again, _said a voice in his head as he continued to run, _they were Hermione's loyal friends. They would __**die**__ for her; of course they were furious at the way Weasley had acted._

By now, Draco had passed a furious set of Weasley twins in the Entrance Hall, who seemed to be debating over a small vial...well he hoped it would be used to make Ron's life _**HELL**_!!! By now, Draco was standing underneath the eaves over the doorway to the castle. Staring out into the pouring rain, Draco searched for any signs of Hermione, but couldn't see three feet in front of him, let alone the thin brunette he was searching for. Taking a deep breath, Draco jumped out into the downpour and thought about the disastrous events that had led to his jumping out into the pouring rain. He clenched his teeth as he remembered…..

He had just sat down at the Slytherin table and was dividing his attention between eating the house elves _incredible_ chocolate-chip pancakes, staring at Hermione, and reliving their kiss last night when he noticed that Weasley (Ron _shudder _not Ginny…don't ask him why but being around Ginny didn't bother him at all, while being around Ron gave him the feeling of being drowned in boiling stink-sap) was getting edgy and had leaned forward and was talking intently to a stunned and rather hurt looking Hermione. Instantly, Draco had felt white-hot, sickening anger. How _dare_ anyone make Hermione look that way, but it had just gotten worse. Suddenly Weasley had started yelling, Potter and Ginny were trying to calm him down and shut him up, and Hermione was cowering in her seat, shaking. By the time the little low-life zit had yelled out to the world that his love was _WHORE_, Draco had been white with fury and ready to kill, so-from the looks of it-was Harry…no wait _Potter_ (where had that come from?) and Ginny. Draco remembered feeling a savage pleasure as he saw Weasley fly backwards and land on the hard, stone floor completely out cold before jumping up and following Hermione out the door and into the rain….more like tsunami, he thought as another bucket-load of rain came crashing down on top of him. Shaking the water from his eyes, Draco sprinted on, suddenly realizing that he had _no_ idea where he was going or what part of the grounds he was on. Looking over through the downpour, Draco saw something that he had never noticed in all is years at Hogwarts. A lone weeping willow tree standing a few yards away from where Draco was standing, offering shelter form the elements; and under is was…oh _Merlin… _

Draco ran under the swaying branches and crouched down next to the unconscious from lying on the ground. Hermione was curled up into a small back at the base of the tree, her hair tangled and wet, and her teeth chattering. Oh _Merlin_, she was soaked to the bone and shivering like mad! Draco gently picked her up and, still cradling her to his chest conjured up thick, woolen blankets and wrapped her up in them. Then, Draco took a deep breath and ran headlong into the torrential rain, desperately seeking the warm shelter of the castle before his little kitten got any sicker than she already was. He distracted himself from the terrible cold and wet for a moment by thinking about how right that description of Hermione was. Intelligent, bubbly, social, and cute, yes, Hermione most definitely resembled a kitten…_his_ kitten. Draco drew the girl's still form closer to him as he broke through the last of the rain and collapsed onto the floor of the Entrance Hall, marveling at how he had never noticed how warm Hogwarts really was.

Suddenly, an agonized scream came from the floor above; actually more like a girly shriek Draco decided as the form of Ronald Weasley came tearing down the staircase, shrieking and cursing at anything and everything. By then, Draco realized with a laugh, he certainly seemed to have a lot to be upset about! Since he had last seen him, Ron seemed to have sprouted brown fun, furry antlers, a long muzzle-ish snout, and a little tail to boot. All in all, he seemed to have become a miniature moose with a bit more red in his hair-or fur-well, whatever you get the picture and a swollen lip and muzzle from being punched so hard!!! Despite the serious circumstances and the fact that he was swelling with pride at Hermione's punching arm, Draco couldn't help it: he laughed; he laughed and laughed and laughed. If possible he laughed even harder when Ron attempted to charge down the stairs and got his new antlers jammed between the railings, causing him to curse/ honk even louder.

Carrying Hermione up the staircase, Draco somehow managed to get the two of them over Ron and up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. On his way up, Draco ran into Fred and George Weasley, Harry, and Ginny, all of whom were in hysterics. Fred seemed to have collapsed from lack of oxygen and was wheezing on the floor, while George looked like he was about to wet himself. Harry and Ginny were tangled together and were positively _howling_ with mirth. Both had tears streaming down their flushed faces. "Good one!" Draco chuckled as he walked by.

"Thanks," whispered George quietly since Fred was still wheezing helplessly. "Moose Meringue! Fred and I invented it. It's a bit too strong, but George and I decided the little git deserved to be furry for a few days!" A few _days_?! Draco laughed aloud at the thought of what he could do to a Moose-Ron in a few days' time. As if they remembered that Hermione was with them, everyone stared down at her wet, shaking form in Draco's arms, sobering up at once.

"She looks bad," said Ginny paling at the sight of her friend in such horrible condition. "you need to get her to the Hospital Wing _pronto_ Draco-" Everyone became silent and stared at the girl (whose face was almost as red as her hair) when they realized that Ginny had just said "Draco" and that the five of them had actually been _laughing _together. After an awkward pause Ginny said "Go on Draco, Hermione really needs to see Madame Pomfrey. Wait till I get my hands on Ron-" Ginny made a violent gesture that made even Harry pale slightly.

"We'll have to talk," Draco said laughing slightly "I had some ideas about getting him into a dragon show with a pick frilly tutu-" Identical evil grins cracked onto the twin's faces.

"We like how you think Mal-I mean Draco," Fred said, finally capable of using his voice. "we'll have to talk."

Draco nodded and smiled before walking away. Once Madam Pomfrey had fussed over both him and Hermione and had shoved a Pepper-up potion down each of their throats (though he had protested to his, insisting that Hermione needed more care than he did), Draco sat down next to Hermione's bed, absently stroking her hand. He had never thought that he would ever enjoy the company of Harry Potter or _ANY_ OF THE Weasleys and he certainly never imagined he would enjoy their company all at the same time! Draco smiled once again, imagining Ron stuck between the banisters. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to try and be nicer to the Gryffindors. Maybe Hermione's friends really could be his friends…and with that thought to sustain him, Draco laid his head on Hermione's pillow and drifted off to sleep drowning in her sweet scent and his own happy thoughts.

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**A/N: Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! We're working on a chapter from Draco's perspective, because there has been some confusion about him. **

**Read and review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys sorry it's been awhile D: Thanks to your messages reminding us to get back on this story Sara and I are now definitely back to working on our fanfics more now that summer's here!!! Anyways we don't own Harry Potter or its characters and we hope you enjoy this chapter updates are soon to come!!!**

Chapter 6

Draco lay on his bed that night, wanting nothing more than to lie down and rest. He had only left the Hospital Wing when Madam Pomfry had shooed him out, insisting that Hermione needed a good night's rest. With the day's events running through his head, Draco doubted that he would be able to sleep that night. He decided to pass the time by attempting to answer the question that had been haunting his brain all week. When had he started to have feelings for Hermione?

Thinking back, Draco automatically ruled out their first and second year. He had been a bastard back then…Well he still was, but there was no way he was as bad as he used to be. Third year? It was quite possible, Hermione was loyal, so ready to defend her friends, and she had one hell of a right hook! Draco decided that it must have been in their fourth year. He had begun to feel confusing pangs of jealousy when he saw Hermione helping Harry with the tasks, clutching her face in agony as she watched him fight the dragon, and dancing with Victor Krum at the Yule Ball. Draco had lost all respect for the Bulgarian seeker when he saw him attempting to get closer to the bushy-haired Gryffindor.

Fifth year had been really hard for Draco. He couldn't get close to Hermione because even though the Dark Lord had fallen last summer, Death Eaters were still running around and the last thing Draco needed was to get his family in trouble by getting too close to the Order of the Phoenix. So Draco had been forced to watch helplessly as Weasly had asked her out. Unable to say a word as they walked down corridors together, holding hands while Potter lagged behind them. He could see that Hermione wasn't happy with the way things were, and it took every ounce of his strength to not knock Weasly out right there in the middle of the halls.

That summer, things had changed. Luscious Malfoy had sent for Draco to come down to his study sometime in July. As he walked warily into the room, Draco could see that something unpleasant was about to be said. His father looked too pleased with himself for comfort.

"Sit," ordered Luscious as his son stood before his desk. Draco sat, trying to keep his face stony and emotionless.

"In less than two years you will have come of age." Luscious began pacing back and forth behind his desk. "When that time comes, you will begin to take your place as the next great Malfoy."

Draco said nothing. He had heard about "becoming the next great Malfoy" so many times he thought he would scream the next time someone told him.

"When that time comes, you will need to follow the tradition the Malfoys have been following for hundreds of years. You will need to find yourself a wife."

Draco almost choked and fell off his chair in shock. Find a _wife_?! "Isn't it a little soon to be getting married?" he asked, gasping for breath.

"Nonsense," said Luscious, waving the thought away as if it were an annoying fly. "It is your duty as a Malfoy to find a wife from a wealthy family who comes from noble blood. If you are unable to do that, you will have to settle with an arranged marriage I have been looking into for you."

"Who-who would that arranged marriage be to father?" Draco asked trying to sound like this was a normal conversation any fifteen year old would be having with their father.

"Her name is Millicent Bullstrode." said his father. "I believe she is in your house?"

It took every ounce of Draco's strength not to faith on the spot. Millicent _Bullstrode_?! That cow couldn't' remember her ABC's, it was a miracle she had made it this far in school without failing!!! "That won't be necessary father." Draco finally managed to get out, his voice shaking slightly. "I'll find myself a wife before the deadline."

"Very good," said Luscious sitting back down behind his desk. "You are dismissed Draco. Be sure to tell your mother that I expect my tea to be in here in half an hour."

Draco nodded. After delivering the message to his mother, Draco ran up the stairs to his bedroom. After shutting and locking the door, he opened his window and clambered up onto the roof. After carefully moving sideways for a few minutes, Draco sat down on a flat section of the Malfoy Manor's roof. He had been coming to sit up here for as long as he could remember. Whenever he was upset or scared, this place was the only one where he could think in peace.

An hour later, Draco climbed back through the window, his resolve strong in his mind. He would make his father think he was looking for a wife, while really he would be pursuing Hermione. When the deadline came, he would hopefully have a plan figured out. It wasn't the best plan, but it was better than nothing.

Draco started his sixth year with that in mind. He had been getting off the train when he saw a carriage charge straight at Hermione! Without thinking he had lunged for her and pushed her out of the way just in time. Of course Weasly had made sure that they didn't get to talk but he had been sending her notes and roses to let her know that he had been thinking of her. _Stupid Weasly_, Draco thought contemptuously, rolling over and fixing his pillow, _he can't just let anything go can he_?

It didn't matter, Draco finally decided, as unconsciousness began to force his eyes closed. He would find a way to get Hermione if it killed him. With that last thought in mind Draco drifted to sleep, a small smile curling along his lips. As he slept, he had no idea that a girl with long red hair was already putting her plans into action to make his dream a reality.

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